In the UK, almost all building work, or changes of use of land, must receive planning permission from the relevant Local Authority.  This building work includes our houses (including small extensions to our homes or, in some cases, even changes in window style) through to shops, office blocks and business parks.  Planning permission is not granted unless an application conforms to policies which relate to the type of proposal or the site location.  So far, so good, but many pilots and aircraft owners do not appreciate that their flying prospects may be even more tightly controlled. 

No County or District policy stops all new house building in the related administrative area, nor is there any policy which prevents extensions to any buildings.  Yet just such severe restrictions can be – and often are – placed on aviation activities.  A policy can state that no new aerodromes will be allowed and/or that no expansion of activity will be permitted at an existing aerodrome. 

The General Aviation Awareness Council (GAAC) is a consortium of GA associations and supporting bodies.  One of the many tasks conducted by the GAAC is to monitor these planning policies which are found in County Structure Plans and District Local Plans.  An input is made, at the appropriate time, when the contents (from an aviation standpoint) are found wanting.  This may seem far removed from the practical aspects of flying an aeroplane, but unless the background work is carried out, that very practical business of getting into the air may become impossible. 

Often the GAAC’s work takes the form of a written input to a draft plan.  This requests that GA is not only recognised but a balanced approach is adopted towards aviation related proposals.  In many cases, policies have been amended accordingly.  In some instances, though, this involves giving formal evidence at Examinations in Public (EIPs), recent examples being Warwickshire Structure Plan (with a very restrictive policy) and Northamptonshire Structure Plan. 

We all hear of serious planning problems with individual aerodromes, but in many cases these difficulties are exacerbated because of failings in the planning policy background.  Only if the policy documents provide some support for aviation is there any hope of a specific flying site receiving favourable support from a Local Authority.   

The scale of the GAAC’s continuing work to achieve this can be demonstrated by looking at some recent figures.  In 1995, representations were made on 14 plans. Only four years later, in 1999, an input was made in respect of 79 different types of plan.  This means that 79 Councils have had to consider aviation issues when, in some cases, they had not even given them a second thought.  Of course, not all will decide to incorporate a policy.  However, in many cases, a well balanced GA policy has subsequently been included.  

Each positive outcome adds another brick in the wall which defends GA’s future.  There is still a long way to go, and the work cannot stop.  Structure and Local Plans are the subject of continuous review and the GAAC must, and will, remain vigilant.  The GAAC is the only UK GA organisation to undertake this essential work, which is conducted mainly by Anna Bloomfield, a chartered town planner who is the Council’s Planning Co-ordinator.  

Says David Ogilvy, the GAAC Chairman:  “The problem is to convince people in general aviation to look ahead and to consider whether their home aerodromes – or places to which they fly – will still be there in a few years from now.  Our work is essential if GA is to survive on a worthwhile scale, so we need more support and more funding from the many people who are affected.”  
  

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